According to Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold, the Las Vegas Raiders had a tough decision to make between he and tight end Brock Bowers with the No. 13 overall pick, and he was told by the Raiders that it was a "coin toss."
Per Arnold, who was a guest on "The Next Round", a Raiders coach — Arnold said "the Raiders coach," so maybe it was Antonio Pierce — contacted him after the draft and said that Las Vegas "had a coin toss" between drafting Arnold and their eventual pick, Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, at No. 13.
"(The Lions) knew that the Raiders, there was a possibility that they took me," he said. "And, actually, the Raiders coach, they called me after the draft, they were like 'we actually had a coin toss between you and Brock Bowers. It landed on him.'"
How did the Raiders decide between drafting Terrion Arnold and Brock Bowers?
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) May 7, 2024
A coin flip. pic.twitter.com/oHAcFeeyIx
It's likely whoever Arnold spoke to was speaking in a figurative manner. If not, that's an odd way to decide who to take with your most important pick in the draft.
When asked about the "coin toss" comment on Wednesday, assistant general manager Champ Kelly said, "I cant confirm that, at all," per ESPN's Paul Gutierrez.
The Raiders clearly had both Bowers and Arnold ranked close, yet decided to go with a player who did not address a major need. That's not to say Bowers was a bad pick, but Arnold was the better choice for what the Raiders needed more.
